Letter: Protecting the right to vote

Tuesday

Oct 10, 2017 at 2:01 AM

In our democracy, voting is what makes each of us equal to the other. It is the ultimate expression of citizenship.

Three forces now threaten our democracy — each silencing the voices of voters, causing them to doubt that their participation matters: unlimited and unreported campaign contribution; partisan and racial gerrymandering of legislative districts; and voter suppression efforts that reduce voter turnout.

Voter suppression is highly pernicious. Nationwide, efforts are underway to purge voter lists, eliminate polling places, increase wait times, require photo IDs and demand documented proof of citizenship. These efforts have already denied thousands of people their right to vote, and forced scores of lawsuits in state and federal courts. It should be a matter of concern for all citizens, regardless of political party affiliation, because it affects all of us.

The League of Women Voters was established in 1919, after women gained the right to vote with the passage of the 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. For nearly a century, members of LWV — both women and men — across the nation have worked to make voting accessible and convenient for all citizens. We work, shoulder to shoulder, with capable and caring election officials — hundreds of county, city, and township clerks in Michigan — helping voters to find their voice by registering, and then to find their polls on Election Day. We are non-partisan, and have but one aim: to strengthen our democracy.

On Oct. 16 the League of Women Voters of the Holland Area will host a citizen forum, Stand Up: Protect the Vote, in collaboration with the Alliance for Cultural and Ethnic Harmony, City of Holland Human and International Relations Commission, Latin Americans United for Progress and Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance. This important opportunity will be held at Herrick Library, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Speaker Joan Hunault, advocacy vice president of Michigan LWV, will address voter suppression and share ways each of us can fight to protect the vote for all.